Snowblower + FEL, SCUT, CUT, Skid steer, what will work best for me?

[tman1020]

I feel 4 wheel drive is a must. Especially with a loader or front mount snowblower

 

[skyhook]

i still say if just for snow a skid steer.

I disagree, braking on these machines involve one side to lock and the other to be free wheel,
don't drive it on grass...
if it's just for snow, maybe, but a waste of money IMO.
There small, light weight and way over priced for what they can do.
They are great for "contractor's", but in your case, a no go....IMO.
Also, get something in the 40hp area, you'll need it for those drift's.

 

[lobsterman1]

A scut with turfs and chains a rear 5 foot blower and front loader . You can also get a rough cut mower for pasture and or a finish mower later .
This would be the best set up to not destroy your lawn and do what you need in short time .

 

[jchewie]

Let's talk PTO HP.

I have had three walk behinds blowers, one 6 hp, two 8 hp. The 8 HP blowers required slow going in 12+ inches, and very slow going in 18+ inches of snow. Add another very if the snow was wet and heavy.
48 to 54 inch blowers would be effectively double the size of the walk behinds, but it seems that most SCUTs have 16-18 PTO shaft hp, about double the HP. With this shaft HP am I looking at the same rate of forward travel to clear a deep drift as with my walk behind?

 

[Jeff F.]

I have a skidsteer with a bucket and plow blade. I purchased a tractor with a front mount blower with a back blade. I was sick of getting stuck with the skidsteer and plowing a short distance and having to make a pile. Not to mention ice - sit and spin.

Now the plow sits on the storage rack. The tractor and blower is the only way to go for me

 

[dodge man]

In deep snow, I think you are correct, you will be cutting a bigger swath but might not be able to go that much faster. If your looking for speed or a bigger swath, your looking at more money of course.

 

[lobsterman1]

I had the same hp worries before I got my 5 foot blower .But after using it all last winter ,I can say it works fine. In very big drifts when the snow is packed or wet I have to slow down but that is how the blower works .Having the loader to scrape the ice and salt chunks highway puts at the end of the drive is a plus for me also .

 

[navistar505]

I have two tractors one is a JD 790 with FEL and rear blower, turf tires and the other is a NH tc33 with a front mount blower with r4 tires. I snow blow about 500+ ft.

I love the NH with the front mount blower because it throws the snow so much further it makes things easier because you can put the snow anywhere you want. also going a few hundred feet driving forward is nice. Down side is the r4 tires are not good at all on snow and ice. And the front mount does not have the power in slush and real heavy snow and can bog the tractor down.

The JD with the rear blower will go through snow banks, slush and real heavy snow like nothing, but will only throw the snow about 6 ft. the turf tires work a lot better on snow and ice. As far as the ice goes with the rear blower the FEL is still on and you can scrape with the bucket.

I also get a lot of wind and snow drifts and having a cab makes things a lot better. And a FEL is a must. You won't realize how much you will use one until you have one.

 

[doxford jim]

A tractor with a rear blower and a FEL,is, in my opinion, a very good compromise. Even an open tractor with the blower is better than a walk behind - you can always build or add a cab later. I also have a JD450 crawler with 9 blade and used to use it until I bought the rear snow blower - made lots of snow banks with the JD450 and the drive invariably got smaller in width.
The snow blower will send the snow away from the area you are clearing, the blade just pushes it to the side of the driveway. With the FEL you can always use it to clear up with and it will always be handy.

 

[jchewie]

I'm guessing that I would be a bit disappointed with a used B7300 + front blower and FEL. 16 hp at 2800 rpm, 12.5 pto hp.
The current owner wants a larger machine.